Chapter 65 – A Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 65 – A Blessing in Disguise

A question from a fresh man who had just been fished out of the River of Three Crossings.

“After I went through all the trouble of saving you…”

As Tae Ju-ha muttered in disbelief, the man flinched noticeably. Thinking that the man's heart would stop again if he heard just one more word, San-ho stepped forward.

“Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Or perhaps have no sensation?”

“No! I don't… Am I, am I really alive?”

When San-ho nodded, the man scanned the Red Dragon Ship again. He needed a little more time to realize that this bizarre situation was reality.

“Tsk, tsk. What use is a fellow who is this weak-willed?”

“………”

At that moment, Seomun Gang, who had returned from looking around the area further, asked in a calm voice.

“What happened?”

The man, who had been trembling pitifully, suddenly raised his head and showed respect.

“Well, that is… Ah, before that, let me introduce myself first. My name is Yeo Woo-min. I am the young leader of a small merchant guild. I couldn't even greet you properly because I was so out of it. Thank you so much.”

Tae Ju-ha shook his head as if he found it pathetic.

“Sheesh. A guy running a merchant guild passing through a rapid section at night? I can tell just by looking that the boat was tiny, too.”

“Originally, it wasn't me, but the escort agency we traded with was supposed to move the merchant guild's goods…”

“But?”

“For some reason, they didn't contact us or show up until right before departure. Since there were some goods that spoil easily, I moved in a hurry and didn't notice the rapids in time.”

Recalling the items floating on the Yangtze River, San-ho asked.

“The goods were already wet, so we couldn't salvage them separately. Was there anything precious?”

“Ah, no! Please don't worry about such things. Having received the grace of saving my life, it would be shameless to wish for those. Young hero, I will never forget this grace and will surely repay it. Really.”

San-ho smirked at Yeo Woo-min, who waved his hands dismissively.

“I was the one who spotted you, but this is the one who saved you.”

When he spoke while looking at Geum-myeong, who was wiping off the water, Yeo Woo-min grabbed Geum-myeong's hand firmly.

“Oh dear, I had a needless prejudice against the heroes of the Waterway Fort! Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, Great Hero, I would have definitely been on my way to the underworld.”

“Ah, no…”

Yeo Woo-min expressed his gratitude with sparkling eyes. Geum-myeong, receiving such gratitude for the first time, stammered in embarrassment.

“Th-that, it's no big deal, really…”

“What do you mean it's no big deal! You are my benefactor, Great Hero!”

“Wh-what do you mean Great Hero…!”

Watching the embarrassed Geum-myeong, Tae Ju-ha let out a dry laugh.

“Well, look at that. It's my first time seeing someone call a pirate a 'Great Hero.'”

“The atmosphere is nice, at least.”

San-ho laughed playfully. At that moment, Yeo Woo-min asked San-ho cautiously.

“Excuse me, but where is this ship heading…?”

“We are going to Sichuan.”

“Then, could I perhaps hitch a ride to Sichuan? This ship is huge, after all…”

Yeo Woo-min said, looking slightly self-conscious.

“There is no reason you can't, but first, the permission of the Chief Stronghold Leader…”

“…Don't you think it's a bit too late to ask for that?”

Tae Ju-ha, finishing San-ho's sentence for him, glanced around at Yeo Woo-min and the sleeping child.

“Just a bit?”

“Well, it's not like the ship will sink just because we carry one or two more of those tiny fellas. Do as you wish.”

As soon as Tae Ju-ha's permission was granted, Yeo Woo-min let out a sigh of relief and bowed his head.

San-ho looked at the child in Tang Hwa-seon's arms and asked.

“Then is that child your younger brother, Young Master Yeo?”

“Yes? Ah, that child is just someone I took on board because we happened to be heading in a similar direction. He is not my brother. Originally, there was a guardian…”

Yeo Woo-min, glancing at the child, whispered cautiously.

“…Since the guardian was swept away by the rapids and nowhere to be seen, I put at least the child on the chest. I'm glad he survived like this.”

The child, who had shed tears in Tang Hwa-seon's arms for a long time, had fallen asleep quietly before they knew it.

A tiny child who looked to be about five years old.

He seemed exhausted from experiencing so many things in a single day.

“What do you plan to do with a child who has no guardian?”

“Well, it's not like we can leave him where we picked him up… We have no choice but to carry him along, don't we?”

San-ho, who had been pondering over Tae Ju-ha's question for a moment, continued.

“About that guardian. Did you hear anything? Like a destination or a name.”

“Hmm… Not really. Both of them were quiet. When they heard that our merchant guild's destination was near Anhui, they just asked if they could get a ride on the boat, and I said yes. That was all.”

“You let people you met for the first time on your boat?”

“Well, normally I wouldn't do that… but since there was a child, I figured there must be some kind of circumstance.”

Yeo Woo-min, shrugging his shoulders, added a word as if he remembered something belatedly.

“Ah, but there is one thing that comes to mind. They were wearing a pretty expensive sword.”

“A sword?”

Yeo Woo-min nodded with certainty.

“Yes. I have a knack for identifying expensive things. That sword must be worth at least the price of three palace-like houses.”

“A martial artist, then.”

San-ho said while quietly gazing at the sleeping child.

“Let's let him sleep for today, and we can ask when the child wakes up tomorrow.”

***

The next day, San-ho faced an extremely difficult situation.

“What is your name?”

“…”

“Where do you live?”

“…”

“How old are you? Aren't you hungry?”

“…”

The child rescued along with Yeo Woo-min would not say a single word. Since the child had no guardian, if they did not know his name, age, or destination, there was no way to find his parents.

“I shall ask him.”

When silent responses repeated to the questions, Tae Ju-ha stepped forward abruptly.

“Where do your parents…”

“Waa-aaaah!”

“…live…”

“Waaaaah!!!”

The child, who had been silent all along, burst into convulsive tears. Do Yi-gyeom approached the flustered Tae Ju-ha's side and shook his head.

“Why are you making the child cry? Let me try.”

“Me? No, brother, what did I even do for you to say that? Really.”

Do Yi-gyeom took out a sweet from his sleeve and offered it to the child. As expected, there was nothing like a snack to soothe a child.

“Child, try some of this sweet…”

“Waaaaah!!!”

The child, who was crying loudly, flung away the sweet placed in his hand.

“…He has strong lungs.”

At that moment, the child, who was crying breathlessly, slithered closer to San-ho's side. The child, shedding tears as large as chicken droppings, stopped crying only after grabbing the hem of San-ho's clothes.

From then on, the child refused to leave San-ho's side.

Whenever anyone approached, he was busy hiding behind San-ho like a cat bristling its fur. It was the same when sleeping. Since even Tang Hwa-seon, who had coaxed him on the first day, caused him to burst into shrieking tears whenever he came near, the child ultimately ended up being cared for by San-ho.

San-ho stared at the child, who was holding onto the hem of his clothes as if it were a lifeline.

“Oh dear, your hand is going to cramp. I'm not going anywhere, so you can let go.”

“…"

“Don't worry. If you are hungry, tell… No, I'll leave some snacks next to you, so eat them whenever you want.”

“…"

The child looked up at San-ho with round, gentle eyes. Feeling pity, San-ho stroked the child's head.

'Is he originally mute? Or is it because he is in shock?'

A child whose name, age, and residence were unknown.

'What should I do…'

Having opened his eyes in an unfamiliar place with nowhere to lean on, how anxious must his heart be.

'Moreover, he even died once and came back to life.'

He felt drawn to the sight, which was somehow not unfamiliar. However, all he could do was share a little warmth. San-ho said in a warm voice.

“If you are tired, you can sleep. I'll be by your side.”

“…"

Feeling the patting hand, the child quietly looked at San-ho.

***

Several days passed like that.

The Red Dragon Ship was already passing through Changhe of Chongqing.

Seomun Gang approached San-ho, who was looking at the scenery outside.

“It's almost Sichuan now.”

“Indeed. We will arrive tomorrow, won't we? By the way, Captain, did you say you would look around the Tang Clan's Medical Pavilion?”

“Yes. I plan to consult with the Head of the Tang Clan's Medical Hall first before looking around. I have to submit a report to the Medicine King Hall. Is there anything else I should know?”

“Since the Family Head has the agreement, you can discuss the details with him.”

Seomun Gang nodded.

Near the stern, Yeo Woo-min, who had become quite familiar with the scenery of the Red Dragon Ship, was staring blankly at the sight.

Yeo Woo-min, who had been following San-ho with his eyes for a long time, thought.

'I smell money.'

Yeo Woo-min's childhood was quite different from other children of his age.

While his friends read books, he read ledgers. While his friends played with spinning tops, he calculated the profit based on the cost and demand of the tops. While his friends swung wooden swords declaring they would become martial artists, he selected trade goods that would sell well to martial artists.

The only thing of interest was numbers.

There was nothing unpredictable in his world.

Because everything could be explained with numbers and logic.

'What is this?'

For the first time, he faced a situation he could not understand.

The meeting of those representing the Jianghu.

Yet, a combination that would never blend.

The Sichuan Tang Clan of the Five Great Families.

Drunken Lotus Pavilion, the world's best tavern.

The Yangtze River Eighteen Waterway Forts, who were of the Heterodox path.

The Martial Alliance, the center of Orthodox power.

It was a bizarre combination that was hard to believe even when seeing it. Their link was that child, Tang San-ho of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

Yeo Woo-min had a special talent.

What would bring him wealth?

He recognized it instinctively.

Always, faster than anyone else.

It was this time too. He could see it with his eyes.

A new something crossing the Nine Sects and the Five Great Families, the White Path and the Black Path.

He was certain. A new power would soon be born in the Jianghu.

'They say human life is a blessing in disguise. An opportunity has arrived after I almost died.'

Since he had made up his mind, there was only one thing to do.

Yeo Woo-min looked at San-ho with sparkling eyes and spoke.

“Excuse me…”

“Yes?”

“By any chance, don't you want to make a lot of money?”

“………”

Of course, San-ho, who had no way of knowing the stages of Yeo Woo-min's contemplation and decision, thought.

Is this bastard in a pyramid scheme?

San-ho, blinking his eyes for a moment, retorted coldly.

“…Not buying.”

“Yes? Not buying what? It's not like that.”

“Not buying.”

“No, I'm telling you, just listen to me first, will you?”

“Ah, I said I'm not buying! Stop following me!”

San-ho fleeing in disgust and Yeo Woo-min chasing after him.

Meanwhile, there was someone watching this scene from inside the cabin of the Red Dragon Ship.

It was none other than the manager of Drunken Lotus Pavilion, Do Yi-gyeom.

His gaze was directed at Yeo Woo-min, who was chasing after San-ho.

Do Yi-gyeom, tapping his fan with his fingertips, narrowed his eyes.

'A merchant guild run by someone with the surname Yeo… As far as I know, there is only one.'

The Meteor Merchant Guild.

It was a large-scale merchant guild with its headquarters in Hunan and footholds established in Anhui and Sichuan respectively. It was one of the Ten Great Merchant Guilds of the Central Plains led by the Merchant Guild Leader Yeo Won-je, who possessed a natural eye, to the extent that there was a joke saying that trends in the Central Plains began with the Meteor Merchant Guild.

'But did Merchant Guild Leader Yeo have a son like that?'